ESN Provides Flexible N Applications

Nitrogen management remains one of the most important factors to impact farmers’ corn crop. But weather, field conditions and limited time can make applications at the optimal time challenging. With ESN SMART NITROGEN, farmers can apply the N their crops need, on their schedules, with no worries of N loss or damage to the crop.

ESN, made by Agrium Advanced Technologies (AAT) is a controlled-release fertilizer, consisting of a urea granule, encapsulated in a polyurethane coating. This allows the N to release from the granule at a rate controlled by soil temperature.

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“Traditional management practices call for farmers to minimize the amount of time N is sitting in the soil, but when you protect N from loss, it allows for more flexibility of application,” says Dr. Alan Blaylock, AAT Agronomy Manager. “ESN is like a small storage facility for the N, protecting it until the appropriate time for the crop to use the N. The technology regulates the release of N at the proper time.”

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Save Time, Fuel With Single Pre-Plant Application

Farmers can protect N with a single, convenient ESN application at planting time. You can apply N at recommended rates, using ESN to supply 70-90% of the total recommended N.

“Applying ESN pre-plant can be done when it’s convenient for farmers,” says Blaylock. “With no crop in the field, this application allows farmers to apply in one pass and be ready to plant. ESN allows farmers to apply a month or a week before planting and have confidence the N will still be available.”

The convenience of ESN can save farmers fuel by reducing trips across the field and give back more of farmers’ most valuable commodity, time.

“ESN can provide a lot of value for farmers that like to apply all their N in one pass,” says Blaylock. “Some farmers find it very attractive to save themselves a trip across the field, saving both fuel and time.”

However, pre-plant isn’t the only way farmers can use ESN. Farmers can combine the N-loss protection of side- or top-dress ESN applications with the immediate N availability of a pre-plant application of conventional fertilizer.

ESN Offers Side-Dress And Top-Dress Flexibility

Farmers who grow no-till corn and don’t incorporate the N may prefer a top-dress application, says Blaylock. Other farmers may want to push the N application a little later, to the vegetative (V4-V6) growth stages. Other farmers in the southern regions may use ESN’s slow-release and apply as late as the V8-V10 growth stages.

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